Cotswold Wildlife Park announces the winner of its annual charity dog show Scruffs. Chester, a six-month-old Lhasa Apso, won the Best Puppy class and went on to win Best in Show at the fundraising event held on Saturday 14th May at Burford.
Chester’s owner, Nicola Gately, commented: “We just came for a lovely day out and it was so nice we could bring Chester with us. I’m a bit shell-shocked! It’s a lovely surprise that Chester won. He’s only six months old and not only did he win Best Puppy, but he also won Best in Show in his first ever competition! We’re thrilled and very proud of Chester.”
The dog show, now in its sixth year, raised £500 for Dogs for Good – a charity that creates exceptional partnerships between people living with disability and specially trained assistance dogs. Their trained dogs offer freedom and independence to children and adults with physical disabilities and children with autism. It is also the first charity in the UK to support adults with autism.
Dogs for Good attended the event with their training dogs. Karen Williams, whose life has been transformed by the charity, was guest judge for the competition. Her assistance dog Iggy was by her side for the event (pictured top left with Chester and Nicola). It is the third year running that Cotswold Wildlife Park has supported the charity. 
Cotswold Wildlife Park is the only large zoological collection in the UK to welcome dogs* and has been a dog-friendly attraction since it first opened in 1970. The Park was recently awarded the Kennel Club’s prestigious Be Dog Friendly Award for ‘Most Dog Friendly Day Out in the UK’ for the second year running.
Dogs for Good receive no government funding and rely entirely on donations, fundraising and volunteers to continue their pioneering work. It costs £12,000 to fund each dog from birth to fully trained Assistance, Activity or Therapy Dog and nearly £3,000,000 a year to run the charity. You can find more about their work at https://www.dogsforgood.org
Class winners:
- Waggiest tail – won by Alfie the Labradoodle with handler Esme Goodall.
- Prettiest Eyes – won by Cookie the Cockapoo with handler Izzy.
- Young Handler – won by Elsie the Newfoundland with handlers Freddy and Harvey.
- Golden Oldie – won by Muffy the Lakeland Terrier with handler Evie Penfold.
- Best Biscuit Catcher – won by Willis the Cockerpoo with handler Hattie.
- Best Rescue – won by Ivy the Lurcher with handler Ellen (pictured centre right).
- Judge’s Favourite – won by Winnie the Newfoundland puppy (pictured left) with handler Emma Field.
- Best Puppy and Best in Show – won by Chester the Lhasa Apso with handler Nicola Gately.